Kidney disease in older cats is especially worrisome. It is also known as chronic renal failure and is a common problem in older cats. It is seen in cats of all ages, but mostly older cats.
Symptoms of Kidney Disease in Cats
* Your cat is drinking much more water than usual
* Your cat is urinating much more than usual
These will be the most noticeable symptoms for you and your cat. When the kidney is not functioning properly, it can't concentrate your cat's urine. However, your veterinarian will probably conduct some blood tests just to rule out any other illness, as this can be a sign of another illness.
Unfortunately, the symptoms don't usually become apparent until about three quarters of the kidney is already in failure. Just as unfortunate is the fact that kidney disease (chronic renal failure) in cats has no cure or way of reversing the damage. The disease will continue, but there are ways you can make your cat more comfortable in the years she has left.
Treatment can include the following
1. Diet: You might hear or read things that suggest certain special diets for your cat. However, the most important thing is that your cat is eating. If your cat doesn't like the diet and refuses to eat the food, it doesn't do much good. Feed your cat the foods she likes to eat, staying with nutritional, healthy foods. Don't feed your cat just dry food. They will need the moisture from other foods to help keep them hydrated.
2. Nutrition: Your veterinarian might suggest a special food called Renafood, which can help better your cat's kidney function. You might need to crush it into your cat's regular food, but most cats actually like it.
3. Supplemental Fluids: Your veterinarian can give your cat supplemental fluids at their office or teach you how to do it at home. This is one of the best ways to keep your cat hydrated.
There are many ways to help you help your cat live out a happier and healthier life and the most important part of that is keeping them hydrated. Your cat's kidneys can no longer keep the water because of the damage that is already there and it can't be reversed. Ask your veterinarian what else you can do to keep her hydrated, because this will in turn keep her more comfortable. Your vet might suggest some homeopathy, herbs, flower essences and/or acupuncture to help make your cat feel better.
Your vet may also suggest some medicines to help. There are some that can help, just make sure you have all of the information on them (including side effects) in case you find your cat may have some unwanted effects from them.
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Jean Morgan
Natures Healthy Pet
photo source
Understanding Kidney Disease In Cats
What To Do When Your Cat Won't Use The Cat Litter Tray
The development of the cat litter tray has truly become a milestone for pet ownership. The modern use of cat litter in boxes or trays has allowed the cat owner to easily take care of their cats waste as well as provide a great place for indoor cats to do their business.
But some cats tend not to do their elimination activities at designated places like the cat litter tray. It is important that you observe your pet closely and find out whether the litter tray is being used by the cat.
There are several possible factors that could prevent the cat from opting to use the cat litter tray. For one, cats need ample space to squat, turn around and dig when they do their thing. Thus, if the cat litter tray is too small, the cat may not have enough space to move around. Even you would not be comfortable doing such in a very tightly spaced bathroom, right?
Another factor would be the litter used in the tray. For years, manufacturers have used clay and silica as litter substrates. But lately, experts advise them to refrain from using such materials since cats are not comfortable digging through them.
There are two types of litter trays being sold in the market currently. One is the open-spaced type, and the other is the closed litter box. Based on observations and pet owners' experiences, cats usually prefer the open-type one because it provides ample room for movement. However, most pet owners prefer the closed-type because it hides the waste and keeps the smell from permeating throughout the house.
When buying cat litter trays for the first time, it is recommended that you purchase both types. That way, you can determine which type is preferred by the cat. Remember, it is the cat that would use the litter tray, not you, so respect the animal's preference.
When Your Cat Won't Use The Litter Tray
You could help make the tray be a comfortable place for your cat. For one, strategically place the tray where the cat could easily spot it and have access to it.
Do not place the cat litter tray at hidden areas like under some furniture, at the garage, under the air conditioner, or somewhere else where people could not easily spot the box. Chances are, the cat would also find it hard to find the litter tray, and it could no longer hold its urge before it finds the tray.
Manufacturers also advise that as much as possible, put litter trays in all floors of the house so the cat could easily have access to them once they feel the urge.
Do not put deodorizer or air fresheners on top or beneath the cat litter tray. The cat may not like the smell of the chemicals coming from such fresheners. If you want to make sure no smell would originate from the tray, you could put some baking soda underneath the tray. Baking soda would not be detected by the cat because it does not secrete harsh smell that may annoy the cat's sharp olfactory senses.
Since the cat is also a territorial animal, make sure each cat, if you have several at home, has its own designated cat litter tray. They would not want to share territories.
Buy trays that are using very fine materials, as fine as sand, as litter substrate. As mentioned earlier, silica and clay are not preferred by cats anymore.
If all else fails, your cat must have some sort of behavioral problems. Thus, seek the help of your veterinarian at once.
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Lee Dobbins
Cat litter tray
photo source
Tips on Cat Urine Removal
If you have lived for any amount of time with a pet (particularly a cat) you probably know the frustration of finding out that he/she has urinated in or on something they were not supposed to. Cat urine has a truly distinct odor and can ruin carpet and furniture if left untreated for long periods of time. Cat urine removal can sometimes prove to be a difficult task. So what can you do if your cat has urinated anywhere other than the litter box?
Cat Urine Removal Don'ts
Well, first let's discuss some of the myths that are incorrect methods of cat urine removal. Some think that cleaning with any cleaning product will do the trick. They look on the bottle and if it says "all purpose" on it, that will work for anything. This is incorrect. Never ever attempt cat urine removal with a cleaning product that contains ammonia. The reason for this is that cat urine consists of a fairly large amount of ammonia. If a cat smells this ammonia in the carpet they will probably urinate there again.
Pay Attention
If your cat is generally good with going in the litter box and never urinates outside of where they are supposed to and then all of the sudden starts having accidents, the solution to this problem may be as easy as paying attention to your surroundings. Cats often can be negatively affected by their surroundings. It is possible that your cat may be looking outside and becoming stressed by other cats, dogs walking by or maybe some other animals that it sees. What you may want to try to do is block their view from any outside events. Another option may be to keep a close eye on the litter box. Cats are neat freaks so if the litter box is dirty, chances are that they will not want to use it and will attempt to take their business elsewhere if this is the case.
Cat Urine Removal Steps
So if the above tips just simply aren't working and you do find an accident or two, here are a few steps to help you in the cat urine removal process:
Step 1: If you find a wet spot, immediately go and grab some paper towels and cover the affected area. Place the paper towels over top of the area and apply light pressure. Note, if you have a dry stain on your hands and don't know where to locate it, you can turn off your lights and use a black fluorescent light and this will bring out the cat urine stains in the carpet. Dampen the area before you proceed to step 2.
Step 2: Mix up a solution of white vinegar and water in a bucket. One part white vinegar and two parts water should do the trick. Rub the solution in the area with a paper towel or wash cloth.
Step 3: After the area seems to be clean, wipe the area with water using a separate wash cloth. It is recommended that you repeat the cat urine removal process again by rubbing the area with the vinegar water solution and wiping the area with water.
Step 4: If this solution does not work, you may want to consider investing in a product specifically aimed at cat urine removal. Their are many of them on the market today and you should ask your vet which one is right for your particular situation.
Cat urine removal can be a big headache but if you follow these simple steps you should be able to limit some of your stress. Make sure that if the cat urination persists or is out of the ordinary, that you take your pet to the vet to get him/her checked out. The urination may be caused by something medical related and you just don't want to take a chance.
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Helen Croft
Cat Urine Removal
photo source